Tourism Australia, the country’s top tourism body, is asking thousands of Australian hotels to provide free wi-fi to end exorbitant in-room internet bills… it has also held talks with large telecom companies to join its campaign.

But Tourism Australia isn’t lobbying for the change to help travellers..it wants free wi-fi so it can unleash an explosion of social media/sharing by tourists/travelers about Australia. Hotels in Sydney and Melbourne charge up to $29 a day for internet use in their rooms.

The GM of consumer marketing for Tourism Australia, Nick Baker, says the widespread adoption of free wi-fi will generate “priceless” international exposure for Australia.